Love is Louder
by BlueSky509
Summary: Caught in a constant cycle of abuse from her family, a stressful job, and an overall miserable life, Electra never thought she could escape. The tables seem to turn when she serendipitously meets Tumblebrutus one night. TumbleXElectra, rated T for later violence.


**A/N: I am BACK, readers! I've been taking a break from Cats to write for Star Fox, but I just couldn't get an old idea of mine out of my head. Thus, this fic about Tumblebrutus and Electra. It takes place when all the kittens are a bit older than in the original musical. I also want to try to include Tugger a little more, just to give him a bit more depth. I won't abandon his usual stereotype, though! Enjoy, and tell me what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Cats or anything associated with it.  
**

Tumblebrutus lay down on the TSE-1 with a drawn-out sigh, staring up at the puffy, white clouds in the summer sky overhead. It seemed that all around him, wherever he went, he never found the one thing he longed for, but everyone else seemed to have: someone special. Ever since last year's Jellicle Ball, he had been excited about finally being old enough to get a queenfriend. Sure, he was almost seventeen, but his parents, Jellylorum and Asparagus, had no objections about him finding romance. His father thought it was high time and his mother approved as well. That was _last year_. The brown and white tom-kit still had not found a queenfriend, and if he didn't find one soon, he would have no date for the Jellicle Ball in three months or worse: he would have to take his sister Etcetera.

Tumble shuddered at the thought. Not only was the brown and yellow tabby queen-kit hyper, to say the least, she probably wouldn't agree. His younger sister had her eyes set on Admetus, a black and gray-patched tom his age. Although, Etcy was equally as likely to go stag just to swoon over the Rum Tum Tugger, the sexiest beast to ever walk the Earth, in his little sister's words. Either way, Tumble had no date now that he thought about it. He sighed sadly again.

The brown and white tom-kit pricked his ears as he heard footsteps approaching. He gladly tore his eyes away from the drifting clouds and bright sun to find Alonzo walking towards him. The older black and white tom sat down beside him, his trademark smirk playing on his lips.

"I know that look anywhere, Tumble. Did you find a date for the Jellicle Ball yet?" Alonzo queried, reminding the brown and white tom-kit of Mistoffelees, the Jellicle Junkyard's resident Conjurer. Tumble pushed the thought aside, Misto was Alonzo's younger brother after all. It shouldn't come as a surprise that they would share similar traits.

Tumblebrutus shook his head and sat up. "Not yet. I was thinking about asking Jemima, but then I remembered Pounce has a crush on her." He replied with a chuckle. The thought of his younger brother Pouncival drooling over Jemima always made him laugh. If Jem was a few years older, he would no doubt be doing the same thing. The fourteen-year old queen-kit had the best voice in the entire tribe. She could be described as a mortal angel, and not just because of her mesmerizing voice. Jemima was also the most compassionate cat Tumble had ever seen.

"Well, then do I have a solution for you!" Alonzo's smirk widened into a knowing smile, "Tugger and I are going to hit the town tonight. We're going to a sweet nightclub. I want to take you along with us." He gave the younger tom a playful nudge.

"Really? Oh, I don't know 'Lonzy…My parents might not approve, _especially_ because this involves Tugger. I don't think they'd allow me to go to a bar. I'm not even legal drinking age!" Tumble frowned as he fiddled with his tail. "Plus, wouldn't I just weigh you guys down? I can't drink and I'm worse than useless around queens."

The black and white tom patted his friend on the shoulder and gave him a wink. "Don't worry about the queens, there will be _lots _of them. Tugger will most likely ditch us for the entire night and come back again when we leave. I'll take care of you and the money, so if you want to come, then the only thing you would have to do is enjoy yourself and scope out queens." He explained in his usual suave and cocky tone.

The younger tom-kit found himself agreeing with Alonzo. It was easy to trust him because he was second-in-command to Munkustrap, the Jellicle Protector. Tumble nodded, a smile replacing his frown. "Alright, I'm in. I have to go ask my parents, so just wait here." He said as he jogged off towards his den on the opposite side of the centre clearing.

"We'll see you tonight, Tumble!" Alonzo called after him. At that moment, Tugger was strutting across the clearing with Bombalurina on his arm. The scarlet queen and the Maine Coon turned their heads in Alozno's direction. Tugger furrowed his brow and the pair walked over to their black and white-patched friend.

"What's this with Tumblebrutus?" The black and gold-spotted tom raised an inquisitive eyebrow. He and Bomba came to a stop a few feet away from Alonzo.

Alonzo leaned back, supporting his weight on his elbows. He smiled innocently as he answered, "Oh, nothing. I just invited Tumble to come with us to the nightclub this evening. You don't have a problem with that, do you?"

Tugger growled disapprovingly, causing Bomba to frown with concern. "No way! I thought it was just going to be you and me, having a few drinks and dancing with those luscious dames downtown." The Maine Coon's reply made the queen on his arm frown even more.

"I beg your pardon! What do you mean by _luscious dames_?" Bombalurina huffed.

Tugger noticed his mistake and gave his queenfriend a nuzzle, along with a kiss on her neck. "Not nearly as luscious as you, kitten." He corrected himself, earning a purr from Bomba. He turned his attention back to Alonzo, now that she was satisfied.

The black and white tom waved a paw. "Don't think of him as a burden, okay? The kit's on the verge of adulthood and he still doesn't have a queenfriend! He needs to be taught how to get a queen and keep her! Who better to teach him than the master himself?"

The black and gold tom snorted, but it wasn't the last phrase of Alonzo's explanation that made him change his mind. "Tumble seriously doesn't have a queen yet?" At his friend's nod, Tugger's jaw slightly dropped. "Man, that's horrible! This is an emergency! Damn it 'Lonzy, why didn't you tell me this sooner? I take back what I said; we're taking Tumble with us. What about his brother?" He ranted, and then reminded himself that the tom-kit had a younger brother.

"No, he's only fifteen. His parents would never let him go. Besides, I don't want to scar the kid for life. There are just some things he shouldn't see yet, and nightclubs are one of them." Alonzo declined. Tugger nodded in agreement and left with Bomba.

At Tumble's den, said tom-kit found his parents eating lunch with Etcy and Pouncival at their patio-turned-dinner table. His family members looked up and gave him a questioning glance. "Tumble, we were just about to go and get you. Come, sit down with us." Jellylorum, a brown and white tabby queen, beckoned to one of the two empty chairs at the table.

"You look excited, son. Care to tell us why?" Asparagus asked as Tumble sat down. He served the young tom-kit some pigeon soup.

Before the brown and white tom-kit could tell his story, he glanced at the empty chair beside him and furrowed his brow. "Where's Junior?" He queried, referring to the oldest sibling in the family, Asparagus Jr. The eighteen-year old black, white, and brown-striped tom was nowhere to be found.

Asparagus Sr. shrugged. "Off hunting, I'm guessing. He wants so much to be independent, he skips lunch with his family!" He complained before spooning some more soup into his mouth. Realizing he had gotten off track, he returned his focus to Tumble. "I'm sorry, Tumble, what is it that has gotten you so riled up?"

"Alonzo invited me to go with him and Tugger to a nightclub tonight." The brown and white-patched tom-kit said importantly.

Before either of his parents could reply, Poucival, the orange and white tabby kitten of the family, interjected. "Wow, a _nightclub_? Can I go?" He asked with evident awe. His amazed expression turned to disappointment when he got a chorused 'No!' from his parents. The kit sunk back in his chair with an audible whine. He shot a glare at Etcy as she started sniggering, and she quieted down and her older brother spoke up again.

"_Anyway_, Alonzo promised he would watch me and pay for me, too. There's nothing to worry about. We all know he's just as trustworthy as Munkustrap." Tumblebrutus reassured his skeptical parents. After a tense silence, Gus slowly nodded. Jelly was a little more reluctant to say yes, though.

The brown and white tabby queen rested her chin on her palm and narrowed her eyes at her son. "What, I would like to know, will you be doing at this nightclub? Surely nothing we wouldn't approve of?" She inquired seriously.

Tumble shrugged and replied honestly, "Alonzo said I could do some queen-scoping and he promised that a drop of alcohol wouldn't touch my tongue. C'mon Mom, this is my only chance to get a queenfriend with the Jellicle Ball so close! _Please_, can I go? I promise I won't do anything stupid!" He begged dramatically with his paws clasped together. He earned an approving smirk from his father for his over-the-top performance.

Jelly stared at the young tom-kit for a few moments more and then gave in with a sigh. "I suppose. _But_, if I hear from Alonzo or Tugger that you caused any trouble whatsoever, you'll spend the rest of the weekend grounded, young tom!" She warned sternly, but smiled as Tumble threw his arms around her neck and gave her a grateful nuzzle, as well as his father.

"Thanks Mom! Thanks Dad! See you later!" The brown and white tom-kit said jubilantly as he sprinted back to the TSE-1. Alonzo didn't look like he had moved an inch. "I can go with you guys! My parents said it's okay!" Tumble beamed as he skidded to a stop in front of Alonzo.

The black and white-patched tom smiled. "Awesome, we'll have fun tonight. Tugger wasn't too excited when I told him, but with a little more convincing he gave in. It'll be just us toms and all the queens we want. Maybe you'll get lucky and find one yourself? I really hope so, otherwise Tugger will be very disappointed in you." He chuckled and ran a paw through his headfur.

"Wait, what about Cassandra? Wouldn't this be considered cheating on her?" Tumble asked warily. The bronze Abyssinian queen was Alonzo's mate, and he didn't think she would take too kindly to the idea that Alonzo will be getting frisky with another queen.

Alonzo rolled his eyes and waved a paw with a snort. "I didn't say _I_ would be hitting on anyone. If Cass ever found out, she would scratch my eyes out. No, Tugger and I will coach you on how to get a queen, and then Tugger will most likely chase after whatever queen catches his eye once we get to the nightclub. I'll stay with you and teach you how to queen-scope."

"Sounds fair," Tumble shrugged, "when do we leave?"

Alonzo pursed his lips and glanced up at the sun. "Umm…I'd say around sunset. The nightclub we have in mind is a little farther away than we'd normally go, but the drinks and queens there are better than most we've been to." He replied non-chalantly.

The brown and white tom-kit cocked his head and remarked, "'Lonzy, I think you just put beverages and queens on the same level. You don't have a problem with that?"

"Trust me, once you get there, you'll see why I compare those queens to drinks." The older tom commented aloofly as he smirked once more.

Tumble furrowed his brow and a feeling of uncertainty settled in his stomach. He had been taught to value queens even higher than himself, and to always respect them. Apparently, Alonzo thought he could pick and choose which queens he wanted to respect, which either said something about the queens he had in mind or his morals. Tumble had never seen Alonzo disrespect a queen in his life, so maybe it wasn't his morals that were the problem. Nevertheless, the tom-kit left it at that and returned to his den to have lunch with his family.

As soon as the sun set some hours later, Tumblebrutus hurried out of his den after dinner. Pouncival was still brooding over the fact that he didn't get to go to the nightclub, and even Asparagus Jr. joined them for the meal. Tumble's older brother shook his head and chuckled at the idea of the younger tom-kit going to a nightclub, but he gave Tumble some tips and warnings anyway. The brown and white tom-kit ran the advice over in his head as he jogged toward the TSE-1, where he could already see Tugger and Alonzo waiting.

"_Be cool and be yourself. If a queen comes up to you, don't panic and turn your charm on. That'll impress her for sure." _Junior's words echoed in Tumble's head as he neared the two toms. The tom-kit wasn't sure he had enough natural charm like Tugger or Mungojerrie, but he was willing to try. Mungojerrie already had a mate named Rumpleteazer, and both were calicos that were around Alonzo's age, but that still didn't stop the calico tom from being a real head-turner. Tumble knew why; 'Jerrie had just recently moved to the junkyard after serving The Hidden Paw for years. Apparently the strict, harsh training regime in the crime lord's organization gave Mungojerrie a body even Tugger was sometimes jealous of.

Tumblebrutus shook the thoughts out of his head as he stopped in front of Tugger and Alonzo. "Ready to go, my trainee?" The Rum Tum Tugger smirked as he fluffed his golden mane.

"Uhh…Trainee? Since when was I a trainee in anything?" The brown and white tom-kit cocked his head to the side.

Tugger laughed and ruffled the tom-kit's headfur. "Starting now, you're my student in the art of attracting queens. Forget seducing them; you're _way_ too young for that. A nightclub is the perfect place to find a queen. Cats your age flock to clubs and bars; I don't know why you don't party and prefer to stay here doing nothing. It's quite sad, really." The Maine Coon said cockily as he strode forward to take the lead.

Alonzo fell back to match Tumble's pace. He leaned towards his younger friend and commented, "Don't listen to him; he's only good for one-night stands. You want a good queenfriend to take to the Jellicle Ball, don't you?"

"I heard that, 'Lonzy! If I'm only good for one-night stands, how do you think I've managed to keep Bombalurina around for so long?" Tugger shot back before Tumble could answer.

"Let's see…You live in the same place as her and you never tell her that you regularly cheat on her, so she still thinks you're faithful to her. If you told her the truth, she would dump you on the spot!" The black and white tom retorted with a laugh. Tugger growled, but he didn't make a comeback because he knew Alonzo was right.

Tumblebrutus snickered quietly at the grown toms' bickering. Even though they were much older than him, they still acted like teenagers sometimes. "Yeah, I want a _lasting_ relationship. How do you go about doing that? I mean, my older brother gave me some pointers, but-"

"Like what?" The Maine Coon interrupted the tom-kit again.

"Like being cool and collected, and turning my charm on. Will you shut up so I can talk, Tugger?" Tumble quipped. He frowned as the black and gold-spotted tom burst out laughing.

The trio hopped the fence before Tugger could explain himself. When they were all on the other side of the junkyard fence the Maine Coon chuckled, "No offence Tumble, but your older brother isn't exactly much of a charmer. Have you ever seen him with a queen? I don't think so. How could he possibly know how to get a queen if he's never had one?"

"Hey, he's just waiting for the right girl to come around! He wants only _one_ queen, unlike _some _toms I know." The brown and white tom-kit scoffed. Tugger crossed his forelegs over his chest and turned his attention back to the street in front of him.

Alonzo smiled and gave Tumble a high-five. "You're learning to handle him better than me! Your brother has a good point, though. You never want to panic in front of a queen you just met. If one comes up to you, or if you notice a queen that you're interested in, just start a conversation and learn more about her. Then, before you leave, invite her on a date. Listen to the way she talks and watch her body language. You'll know if she's interested in you or not." The black and white-patched tom instructed.

Tumble nodded and locked that information away for later use. "Thanks, Alonzo. Umm…what do I say to her, though? I have to at least sound like I'm not a total newbie. What's a good way to break the ice?" He queried, scratching behind his head as if anxious.

"Pick-up lines, my young friend. Stuff like-" Tugger got cut off by Alonzo.

"As I said, _don't_ listen to Tugger. First you introduce yourself and then ask her a question. Pick something safe, like 'what do you like to do for fun around here?' or ask her to dance." The black and white tom replied and threw a smirk at his older friend.

Tugger merely glared at him and hissed indignantly, "This is _my_ area of expertise, Alonzo. No one in the junkyard knows how to get a queen better than I do."

"Yeah, but no one knows how to _keep_ a queen better than me. I dated Cassandra for two years before I proposed, and guess what? She's _still_ my mate, and she has no intention of leaving me." Alonzo remarked, much to the Maine Coon's displeasure. He quieted down and Tumble stopped asking questions. He had all the information he needed.

When the trio arrived at their destination, Tumblebrutus gazed up in awe at the neon sign. It read "The Angel's Cloud" in yellow, blue, and white cursive letters. The nightclub was down an alley, out of the way of any human interference. Tumble, Tugger, and Alonzo walked inside. As soon as he stepped in, the Maine Coon caught the eye of a few queens and he sauntered over to a pair of them, completely abandoning his friends. Alonzo shrugged and led Tumble over to the bar situated near the entrance.

The well-lit, elegant bar was somewhat removed from the main area of the club, but it still blended in perfectly with everything around it. There was a large, empty square in the middle of the room that served as a dance floor. Along the far side of the rectangular room were a few pool tables, which were quite popular with the older toms. On the other side were small booths where some couples were sitting, sipping their drinks and chatting. Bathrooms took up the back wall. The nightclub itself was pretty packed, but not so much so as to be uncomfortable. Waiters and waitresses darted to and fro, cleaning up the empty booths and delivering drinks to thirsty customers. Music blared from the giant speakers in every corner and flashing lights added sudden bursts of colour to the otherwise dimly lit nightclub.

Alonzo offered Tumble a seat at the bar and waved the bartender, a black tom, over. "I'll have a martini and a Roy Rogers for my pal, here." He requested politely. The bartender nodded and prepared their drinks, after which Alonzo paid him.

Tumble sniffed his drink curiously. The black and white tom beside him tapped his shoulder, to get his attention amid the din of the excessively music. "It's okay, there's no alcohol in it. Take a look around; see if any queens catch your eye." He reassured the tom-kit in a half-yell.

The brown and white tom-kit nodded and sipped his drink. It tasted fizzy, but reminded him of pomegranates. He half-turned on his stool to survey the scene around him. There were some groups of queens standing around at the sides of the dance floor, but they looked a bit too old for him. He spotted a few queens at one of the pool tables to his right. They looked to be around his age. Tumble smiled and nudged Alonzo. He pointed to the queens at the pool table.

Alonzo smirked in approval. "Hey, you're catching on quick! I didn't even need to teach you how to queen-scope! Go introduce yourself; I'll be here if you need me." He commented and turned back to his martini.

Tumble hopped off the stool and began to weave his way through the crowd of cats. When he edged his way along the side of the dance floor, one of the waitresses he had seen scurrying around crashed into him, spilling the drinks on her tray in the process. Luckily, the drinks were in plastic cups that only looked like real glasses. The different liquids splattered the floor with their respective colours, and the cats around Tumble and the waitress moved aside so that they wouldn't slip.

"Oh no, this is going to come out of my paycheck! I'm so sorry, Sir, I wasn't looking where I was going and then someone bumped into me, making me-"The waitress babbled in a timid voice, but was cut off by the brown and white tom-kit. Both cats knelt down to pick up the cups on the floor before they could roll away.

"Hey, it's no big deal. It was me who wasn't aware of my surroundings. I'll help you clean this up." Tumble offered politely, and looked up to see just who he had stumbled into. The queen was around his age, which he found odd. He didn't think nightclubs would hire waitresses at so young an age. He could barely make out orange and black patches on the young queen's coat, which suggested a tortoise-shell pattern.

The tortoise-shell queen smiled at his manners. "You're too kind. No, this is my fault. The customer should never be responsible for the employee's incompetence. Plus, this happens all the time in crowded places like this. I appreciate the offer, though." She said with a frown and continued to mutter insults to herself under her breath. She got up to head towards the "Employees Only" door that was beside the bar, in the corner. Tumble hadn't noticed it before.

Before she could stand, Tumble gently took hold of her wrist to keep her from going anywhere. He let go immediately as the young waitress recoiled, as if he had burnt her. He ignored her reaction for the moment and persisted firmly, "Please, let me help. I'm sure you're busy enough without these accidents."

The queen let out a frustrated sigh and nodded. She hurried off and came back a few minutes later with some paper towels. Handing one to Tumblebrutus, she got down on her knees again and began to mop up the spilled drinks. Tumble did the same, and soon the floor looked like nothing had been spilled on it.

"Thanks for this. You're right; my job is hectic enough without these annoying spills and messes. I've already been docked enough pay this week for keeping customers waiting and my clumsiness, as you've already seen. By the way, my name's Electra. How about I buy you a drink for this? I have a break in ten minutes." The tortoise-shell queen hastily offered with a tired smile.

The brown and white tom-kit dipped his head respectfully. "My name is Tumblebrutus, but call me Tumble. My friend already bought me a drink, but I'd be more than happy to chat." He said and pointed to the bar. "I'm sitting over there beside the black and white tom."

Electra squinted through the dim light, and then nodded. She stood up and rushed away to dispose of the dripping paper towels. Tumble sauntered back over to Alonzo and shot him a smirk. The older tom raised an eyebrow. "Back so soon, eh? How'd it go with those queens at the pool table?" He queried as he elbowed Tumble knowingly.

"Actually, I met one of the waitresses. Her name is Electra and she's coming over here in ten minutes on her break." Tumble stated proudly as he took a long sip of his drink.

Alonzo rolled his eyes and then frowned. "You're not supposed to flirt with the employees, they're way too busy and scatterbrained enough as it is! Well, I suppose there's nothing we can do now. I guess I should commend you for at least getting a queen to come over here on your first try." He sighed and turned back to his beverage, which was half-empty. He swirled the olive around in the glass and waited with Tumble.

Ten minutes later, the brown and white tom-kit felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to see Electra hopping up in the stool beside him. She was still wearing the black half-apron around her waist that distinguished servers from customers. "Hey, Tumble. Is this your friend?" Electra gestured to Alonzo, catching his attention.

The tom in question looked up from his drink and stuck a paw out to the tortoise-shell queen. "I'm Alonzo, pleased to meet you. You must be Electra." He introduced himself in a friendly manner as he shook her paw.

"Yes, I am. Tumble here is quite the gentletom. He refused to leave me alone to clean up the spill I made when we bumped into each other." Electra giggled as she retracted her paw.

The black and white tom chortled and gently ribbed his younger friend. "Yeah, he's too nice for his own good. It can border on ridiculous sometimes."

Tumble discreetly hissed at Alonzo, making the tom laugh even more. "Watch it 'Lonzy, or I'll tell Cassandra you were gallivanting with another queen when we get back home."

The black and white tom ignored Tumble's threat and commented to the young queen, "So I hear you're a waitress around here, Electra. You look kind of young to be working at a place like this." He said casually. In fact, as Alonzo glanced about the room, all of the other visible employees were at least his age or older.

The tortoise-shell queen shrugged. "My mother works and my father…doesn't, so I had to get a job to help put food on the table, you know? I'm lucky they hired me here, as they needed someone small to dart around the crowds and serve drinks. As Tumble already knows, I'm not much of a waitress. I'm pretty clumsy, and I think my manager is starting to notice the frequent spills…" She explained, becoming a bit sheepish.

"Do you like working here?" Tumblebrutus queried as he sipped his beverage.

"My co-workers are nice to me," Electra bit her lip as she continued, "but I think that's just because they feel sorry for me, having to work at my age like this. A lot of them are friends with my mother, so that's basically how I got a job here. Do I love my job? Not at all. It's better than being at home, though."

Tumble didn't press the subject of Electra's personal life anymore, but he could guess that her home life wasn't anything like his. It was probably much worse. Electra looked at the watch on her wrist and let out a whine. "Sorry, my break is over. It was nice meeting you two. Thanks again, Tumble. See you later!" She excused herself and made to rush back behind the scenes, but Tumble's voice caused her to halt.

"Wait, Electra. Can…uhh…Can we hang out again? I'd like to spend more time with you." The brown and white tom-kit said nervously.

Electra hesitated for a moment, but then smiled and replied shyly, "Sure, I'd like that. I get off at three tomorrow, if you want to come by."

Tumble nodded and the waitress hurried off. He turned to Alonzo and the black and white tom patted him heartily on the back. "Wow, you're a natural, Tumble!" He laughed and glanced around the room for Tugger. He spotted him in one of the booths, flirting with a couple of queens. "I think it's time to head out, I don't want to keep you out too late. I'll go fetch Tugger, so just stay put." Alonzo slid off his stool and wove his way through the crowd of cats in the direction of the booths.

A few minutes later, the black and white tom came back with the Maine Coon and the trio headed out. Along the way Tugger inquired, "So Tumble, did you snag any queens tonight?"

To the pleasant surprise of the black and gold-spotted tom, Tumble nodded. "I did, actually. I met one of the waitresses and I'm going out with her tomorrow afternoon. Her name is Electra."

"Nice, I didn't think you would do so well on your first time at a nightclub. I'm proud of you, Tumble." Tugger complimented as he clapped the tom-kit on the shoulder.

Tumble smiled and thanked him, and the rest of the trip back home was quiet, save for Tugger bragging about the attractive queens he met. Soon they were back at the junkyard and Tumble headed off to his den. His family was already fast asleep, so he quietly crawled into his nest of blankets and curled up. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep with soaring hopes for tomorrow.


End file.
